


losing sleep (because of you)

by offenDead



Series: My happiness is all here (I’m so happy I found you) [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, jongho is just trying his Best, yeosang is a confident gay in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:47:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23587891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/offenDead/pseuds/offenDead
Summary: Jongho doesn't usually remember his dreams, but this one, this one was special.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: My happiness is all here (I’m so happy I found you) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561423
Comments: 8
Kudos: 227





	losing sleep (because of you)

**Author's Note:**

> its soft hours for jongsang this time skskldksiw 
> 
> come say hi or just scream about jongsang to me on twt @/viktorikat

Jongho doesn't usually remember his dreams. He attributes that to the fact that he doesn't know what's going on half of the time, but sometimes he'll actually remember the entirety of his dream, not just some obscure event like _"A crocodile tried to bite my knee off."_

But the point is, he doesn't usually remember his dreams, but this one. This one is special.

Maybe it's because Jongho's pretty sure his soulmate is in this dream.

He's standing in the middle of a hall, the scene familiar because it's what he sees every single day at his university. Beside him was Hongjoong, his snowy bangs held back by the garish rose gold hair clip Yunho and Mingi got for him as a joke. Jongho can't hear what he's saying, but he's sure the older boy was probably grumbling about how Mingi had stepped on his toes again.

Then, as if Jongho had been transported into a drama or something, he meets someone's eye and everything is suddenly in slow motion.

Well, everything else, at least. Jongho's moving just fine, and so is the boy he'd locked eyes with.

The boy had dirty blond hair, and the strangest birthmark right by his left eye. He's also _very_ pretty but Jongho tries not to think too hard about that because he's sure he's going to short-circuit if he does. The boy is staring at him, wide eyed, and Jongho has no doubts that yeah, that's his soulmate.

Oh.

His soulmate is really, _really_ cute what the hell.

That's not fair! Jongho's pretty sure he currently looks like a loser with his stupid bleached jeans and coffee stained shirt, while his soulmate looked like he belonged in a museum with how ethereal he looks.

Jongho feels his pout deepen as he ducks his head, suddenly shy.

He's starting to wake up now, since everything is fading out already, so he chances one last look at his soulmate.

Oh. _Oh._

Jongho wakes up with a jolt, his cheeks burning as the image of his soulmate smiling at him is permanently etched into his mind.

He walks out of his room in a daze, his comforter still clutched in his arms as he toddles his way to the kitchen.

Hongjoong is busy making scrambled eggs while Yunho is murmuring quietly on the phone, probably talking to Mingi or something, doing their usual ritual of saying how much they miss each other as if they haven't seen each other in years. If Jongho is right, Mingi's probably just taking a dump in the bathroom or something.

And because Jongho likes to establish himself as an absolute _menace_ , he decides to ruin their morning by saying good morning right into Yunho's ear.

And by say, he means scream.

The older boy screeches, and Jongho thinks he can hear Mingi yelling through the receiver as well, but he's too busy laughing to confirm it.

"Jongho what the fuck." He hears Hongjoong mutter, and when he looks up, he sees that the eggs the petite boy had been cooking is now haphazardly scattered around the counter, missing the plate he was pouring it into.

"Sorry hyung," he giggles, earning a raised brow from Hongjoong as he begins to clean up the mess.

"What's got you so hyper this early, baby bear?"

"I thought _I_ was baby bear." Yunho sniffs, having put his phone away. "Hyung, how could you just give away my nickname like that?"

"Yunho, you're puppy, remember?"

"Oh. Right."

"Okay back to me." Jongho interrupted, waving his comforter covered hands around. "I think I finally saw my soulmate."

The two stare at him quietly for a while, before Yunho yells once more, jumping up from his seat to excitedly shake their youngest, eyes bright.

"Oh my god! You finally had your soulmate experience! So what's your soulmate like? Is it someone we know? Oh, are they the same age as you?"

Jongho is more than happy to chatter on and on about his newfound soulmate, even if all he knew about the other was what he looked like and the birthmark.

At least he knows what his soulmate looks like.

Everyone's soulmate experience, as Yunho calls it, is different. Yunho met Mingi through a countdown timer, while Hongjoong can communicate with his soulmate through thoughts, the words writing themselves all over his body. Most of the time it's reminders to sleep for Hongjoong, to go eat and stop cooping himself up. Sometimes it's sweet words Jongho feels the slightest bit scandalised of seeing because it feels too intimate, like he'd just walked in on them or something.

But as far as Jongho knows, Hongjoong hasn't met his soulmate yet. Mingi had speculated that it's some weird fate thing where they can't tell each other who they are or where they are. It wouldn't really be the first time that has happened.

Maybe that would be the case with Jongho too, but his situation was slightly more forgiving, because Jongho has at least _seen_ his soulmate.

With a face as pretty as that, it would be hard to miss him if they were to, say, pass each other in the halls.

But Jongho is also kind of intimidated. What if his soulmate is disappointed in him or something? He was, in his own humble opinion, average looking. Not too handsome or pretty, but not particularly hideous either. He hopes that his soulmate isn't too bummed out that he ended up with a nut like Jongho.

"I know that face." He hears Hongjoong say. "It's the Jongho is being mean to himself face."

"Jongho's being mean to himself again?" Mingi asks, finally emerging from wherever he had been. Again, probably the bathroom. "Not in my good homosexual household! Where is the offender?!"

Jongho squeals when Mingi launches himself at him, trying to wiggle his finger against Jongho's sides and tickle him.

"Go in for a big smooch Mimi!" He hears Yunho yell, and he's a second too late in realising what that means when Mingi's lips connect with his cheek, making an obnoxious _mwah_ sound.

" _Ew!_ " Jongho screams, shoving the larger boy off of him as he trips to the floor of the kitchen, his comforter having wrapped itself around his legs.

"Oh, would you look at that," Mingi giggles, looming over Jongho like an oversized dog about to jump him. "My prey delivered to me on a silver platter. Or comforter, I guess. Any last words before I smooch you again, sir?"

"Please don't." Jongho says, wiggling out of the comforter. "Also we're going to be late if we don't hurry up."

"That's no fun." Mingi pouts, but he does let Jongho go, choosing to snuggle up against Yunho instead.

They sit down for breakfast, Hongjoong having to start another batch of scrambled eggs to make up for the one he'd lost.

It's nice, being surrounded by his hyungs and their warm auras.

Oh _ew_ , finally seeing his soulmate has turned him into an absolute sap, it's disgusting. Jongho cannot believe himself, being this mushy so early in the morning. But maybe the thought of forever with someone, even if they just turn out to be platonic soulmates, is doing something to him.

Or maybe it's the fact that Mingi and Yunho are practically hanging off each other, and he's not even sure if they're trying to feed each other or suck face. Either way, they're all wrapped up in each other, smiles wide as they coo sweet words into the space between them.

Which isn't a lot of space. Either way, Jongho's heart kinda does a little vault in his chest because as much as he gives them hell, they're absolutely adorable.

Hongjoong, on the other hand, is more focused on his phone than on his food or his friends. His final project has him frantically searching for a model to walk for him during the fashion show in about three months, and because Hongjoong is an absolute perfectionist, he's been driving himself insane trying to find _the_ model for his piece.

You'd think he was on a time crunch for something more life-threatening with the way he's acting, but maybe for an up and coming designer like him, it really _is_ a life or death situation, Jongho's not really sure. He's not a designer after all.

The words _calm down, everything will be okay_ carefully curl themselves around Hongjoong's wrist, and hey, at least the soulmate is trying, even if it's a real feeble attempt at soothing the distressed designer. It would be better if his hyung wasn't in any form of distress at all, really.

Okay, so maybe he's a real softie when it comes to his hyungs, but he absolutely can't let them know. He'll never hear the end of it otherwise.

"Good luck on your calculus quiz Jongho!" Hongjoong yells at him when he dashes out their dorm later.

"Thanks hyung!"

He'd studied with Mingi last night, poring over his notes as the older boy drilled Jongho until the younger swears he could see the equations in his sleep. Jongho will forever be grateful that Mingi can do anything math related half asleep, because if it weren't for his tutoring Jongho would have probably failed most of his tests.

He's not sure how calculus could help him in real life, but whatever. He just needs to make sure he passes and he'll be okay.

The TA, Seonghwa, cheerily greets Jongho as he filters into the room, immediately handing him his worksheet and shooing him off towards his seat.

"The earlier you start, the earlier you can leave." Seonghwa sing-songs.

Jongho nods, beginning to move towards his seat when something crawls up Seonghwa's arm. It takes him a hot second to realise that it's words, and not some sort of bug. 

It takes him less to realise that Park Seonghwa has the words _I hope Jongho isn't too stressed out about his test._ scrawled on his skin. Unless Mingi and Yunho have another soulmate that they've been keeping from Hongjoong and Jongho, then there's really only one person his TA's soulmate could be.

He'll have to snoop, though. One can never be too sure.

"Jongho? Are you okay?" The TA asks, face pulling down into a frown as concern flicks through his eyes.

"Yeah! I'm super good!" Jongho exclaims, backing towards his table. "I'm just gonna, you know. Do the test."

Seonghwa tilts his head, more confused than anything as the younger backs off towards his chair.

Well that was a less than ideal response. He hopes Seonghwa won't find him too weird, because if Jongho is right then the TA will have to see him almost every day. Maybe he should set both of them up or something, because everyone in the room knows how Seonghwa has been eager to meet his soulmate and it would save all of them the sight of a pining, lovesick boy hanging on to each word on his arm.

Jongho leaves the room, watching the way his TA was gazing down fondly at the words _Don't forget to smile today, Mars._ on his arm.

Oh god, scratch that, Jongho's not setting them both up. They're already so disgustingly sweet, he doesn't think he'll be able to handle it if he has to see that stuff every single day. 

Coincidentally, Hongjoong is waiting outside Jongho's room, grin wide as he pulls the younger away from the room, asking him how his test went.

Jongho only manages a low "Okay." before his eyes are drawn to the _I'm sure you look beautiful today as well, my star._

Disgusting, really. So Jongho purses his lips and asks if Hongjoong's soulmate is called Mars or something.

"Wh–how do you know that?" The older boy asks, eyes wide.

"Because I saw Seonghwa hyung's soulmate tell him to not forget to smile today, then he called him Mars, which is like, his nickname that only his real close friends call him." 

The two of them stand around the hall for a long while, before Hongjoong bolts back the way they came from, and Jongho is left to contemplate the consequences of his actions.

What's one more pair of soulmates sucking face in front of him, right?

As long as Hongjoong stops looking so sad and lonely every time Seonghwa thinks of something particularly sweet to plaster across his skin, Jongho's fine with it.

Speaking of soulmates.

Maybe he should take a nap and see if he can get a glimpse of his soulmate. Or does it only work when they're both asleep?

First of all, he should probably go eat lunch. Hongjoong's gonna be busy until later, so it's just Jongho for today. He could call Mingi and Yunho, but it's always a hit or miss with their schedules, and he'd rather not disturb them if they're studying or in class.

So he drops by the café alone, the place packed with college kids because hey, it's lunch time for most of them. So Jongho orders as fast as he can and races like, five other people for the only available table left. And because life is a competition and Jongho likes to win, he gets there first, sitting his butt down and trying not to appear too smug when his rivals for the table purse their lips and start looking for other tables.

He takes his phone out and scrolls through his messages, which is just Hongjoong sending five thick paragraphs of keyboard smashes and exclamation points to their group chat.

Snickering to himself, he watches as Mingi and Yunho both start sending confused texts asking what's going on with their oldest friend.

"Sorry." Someone murmurs, bumping into Jongho's table. "Here's your order."

The boy looked up, wide eyed. There weren't any waiters here last he remembered, the baristas usually called you up to the counter so you can grab your order.

"You were kind of distracted," the person, an upperclassman Jongho has seen hang around the dance club Yunho and Mingi were in. His cheeks were slightly pink. "The counter's called your name multiple times already."

"Oh." Jongho says dumbly, still a little starstruck as the other placed his drink and sandwich down in front of him. The boy was handsome, okay? And Jongho was basically useless around good looking people. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Don't get too distracted next time, okay?"

Just as quickly as he had appeared, the other boy disappeared, leaving Jongho gaping and feeling just the slightest bit whiplashed.

Well. That was weird.

As strange as that was, Jongho can't help but feel as if he'd already seen that boy before. Oh well, if he'd already met someone with those looks, Jongho's pretty sure he wouldn't just forget about them, so he's probably just being silly.

Come to think of it, that boy had a birthmark right next to his left eye. Now that he'd thought of that, Jongho's like, fifty percent sure he's forgetting something important here. Maybe he really has seen the other boy before?

"Of course you've seen him, Jongho." He muttered to himself. "He's in the dance club with Yunho and Mingi hyung, there's no way you haven't seen him then."

A voice in his head that sounds strangely like Hongjoong calls him a dumbass.

After that strange ordeal, Jongho tried his best not to think too deeply about it. The upperclassman was just being nice, making sure Jongho didn't get embarrassed in front of the entire cafe. He probably knew him from Yunho or Mingi, or at least, heard them call him and seen him enough times that he recognised him.

Okay so he's doing a really bad job of not thinking about it.

It takes him a grand total of three hours to finally stop wondering about it, and that's because Hongjoong was being gross with his recently acquired soulmate in _their_ dorm living room.

"They've been like that for hours now." Mingi mutters as they spy on the new couple from the kitchen area. "They're both disgusting."

"Don't talk as if you and Yunho hyung aren't like that every single day." Jongho replies, ignoring Mingi's sputtering. "You guys are intolerable, calling each other when the other is literally just taking a dump in the bathroom. I can excuse Joong hyung because he's just found his soulmate, but you guys? No."

"You didn't have to call us out like that." Yunho pouted. "But that aside, I'm just glad that Joongie hyung has found his soulmate. At least now maybe he'll stop being such a workaholic."

Jongho looks back at the two boys cuddling on the couch, and although he feels happy for them, he's also kind of jealous.

He wants to cuddle his soulmate too! His soulmate–

His soulmate whose face Jongho has forgotten.

But he was so sure he'd practically memorised it this morning! How could he just forget it like that? What happened? Oh god, he's the _worst_ soulmate ever, going off and just forgetting what his own soulmate looked like.

"Jongho? You good? You look like you're about to cry there..." Yunho said, frowning a little. "Are you feeling okay?"

The younger boy sniffled, right before tears started running down his cheeks.

"Jongho's crying!" Mingi yelled, bolting upright. "Yunho! Why did you make Jjongie cry?!"

"What?!" Jongho heard Hongjoong scream, followed by a thump and a low groan before the older boy was all over him, taking his face into his small hands. "Yunho what the hell?! Why did you make my little bear cry?!"

"I didn't!" 

Another hand placed itself on Jongho's shoulder, and after looking up, he's faced with Seonghwa's worried frown.

"You okay, Jongho?" The older boy asked, brushing Jongho's hair out of his face.

"Yeah, I just realised I'm the worst soulmate ever." He sniffled.

"What makes you say that?"

"I forgot what my own soulmate looked like." Jongho moaned, hanging his head. "Who even does that? I can't even imagine seeing him in my dreams later when I sleep, what if he senses I forgot what he looked like?"

"Jongho calm down." Seonghwa said. "You said dreams?"

"Yeah, it's my soulmate experience. That's what Yunho hyung calls it anyway."

"Well, you know how we sometimes don't remember our dreams? We remember them vividly when we first wake up, but as time passes, we start forgetting bits and pieces of it. Maybe your, ah, soulmate experience works that way too."

Oh.

Huh. That made sense.

"So don't cry anymore, okay?" Seonghwa added, wiping his tears away. "Joongie doesn't like seeing you sad."

"Wow, hyung, you're sliding in real quick into the second dad friend role in this family, huh?" Jongho giggled, watching as the older boy smiled down at him fondly.

"It's hard not fussing over you guys when you're all adorable." Seonghwa says, pinching Jongho's cheek, laughing when the younger boy whines in indignation and slaps his hand away. "And we should probably stop Mingi and Hongjoong from attacking Yunho. I don't wanna lose a kid before I even get to really know him."

After several assurances that Yunho didn't do anything wrong and Jongho is fine, Hongjoong finally lets up and releases the taller boy from the choke hold he had him in.

"I can't believe you'd do that to me." Yunho whined, pouting when Hongjoong pats his cheek in apology.

"You know how I get with my baby bear." Hongjoong says, smiling. "And you should have just explained it clearly to me, puppy."

"I _tried_! You weren't listening–"

"Mhmm, yup okay, shush." Mingi huffed, smooching his soulmate's cheek. "Stop pouting you big baby."

Yunho only pouted more, crossing his arms.

"As much as I want to stay, I'm gonna go to bed early." Jongho announced. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Oh, grabbing some quality time with your soulmate?" Mingi teased. "Sweet dreams, Jjongie!"

"Oh they're gonna be sweet alright." Yunho snickered, making Jongho roll his eyes as he started getting ready for bed.

So what if the reason why Jongho is going to bed early is to see his soulmate? His hyungs didn't need to know that, although he knows they already know anyway. Who can blame him, though? He just wants to see his soulmate again, and make sure he doesn't forget what he looks like this time.

When he blinks into awareness after curling up under his covers, he's in the cafe he had eaten at earlier, and instead of being across the crowded shop, his soulmate is sitting right across him, calmly holding a cup of what looks to be coffee.

"You're the guy from earlier." Jongho whispers, eyes wide.

"I'll admit, it was a little disheartening for me when my own soulmate didn't recognise me." The boy laughed, and _wow_ that's a really nice laugh. "But then again, we've never really interacted in real life before."

"Sorry. I kind of forgot what you looked like." Jongho sheepishly admitted. "One of my hyungs said it was because I only saw you in my dreams."

"That's valid. But you've seen me at the café now, so you have no excuse the next time we meet." His soulmate replied. "Hurry up and go find me, already. I can't stand my friends teasing me about making you up."

"Wow, okay. What's your name, anyway? Wouldn't it be easier if I knew your name?"

"Kang Yeosang. Don't take too long in finding me, okay? I'll be very pissed if you take longer than three hours."

"Choi Jongho. And if you're gonna continue being this mean then maybe I'm not going to seek you out at all." Jongho huffed, the edges of the dream slowly fading as he wakes.

"Then _I'll_ find you." Yeosang says, tilting his head. "But do you really wanna play hide and seek instead of holding hands and cuddling?"

"You make a very good point. I'll meet you at the café tomorrow for lunch, right at this very table?"

"You better not be late, soulmate." Yeosang murmured, setting his cup down just as the dream blurs out.

Jongho blinks the dream away, reaching up to his bedside table, trying to feel for a piece of paper. He should probably write the name down, just in case, even if he feels like it would be impossible to forget Yeosang this time around.

When he stumbles out of his room, sleep still clinging to him just the tiniest bit, he is greeted with the image of his soulmate sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee placed right in front of him.

Huh. It's just like his dream.

...

_Wait._

"Kang Yeosang?!" Jongho incredulously screeched, eyes widening as he registers that yes, that's his soulmate right there, sitting at their kitchen table.

What the heck, Jongho's still in his sleep clothes for god's sake! And here he was, meeting his soulmate for the first time!

Jongho really does know how to make an impression, huh?

"Oh, Jongho good morning, you’re up early." Hongjoong greeted, smiling at the younger boy. "By the way, this is Yeosang, he'll be the model for my project."

"It's very nice to finally meet you, Choi Jongho." Yeosang giggles, a hand covering his mouth. "Although I didn't expect to finally meet you this early."

"I'm not ready at all!" Jongho whined, burying his face in his hands. "I was supposed to make a better first impression this time!"

"Well to be fair, the first time we saw each other in our dreams you had a shirt with coffee stains on it." Yeosang replied. 

"That's why today was supposed to be my redemption arc!"

"I feel like I'm missing something here." Hongjoong butted in, raising a brow as he look back and forth between them. "Do you guys know each other?"

"Hyung," Jongho deadpanned. "That's my soulmate. Of all the people you could have chosen as your model, you picked my soulmate. And now my first impression is ruined."

Hongjoong let a little _"Oh."_ sound, pursing his lips. Jongho knows that face, it's the one Hongjoong makes when he's trying his best not to laugh out loud.

"Don't worry, Jongho." Yeosang murmured, finally taking his hand off his mouth to shoot him a smile. "I think your polka dot pyjamas are really cute."

" _Please_ , can we just forget about this and have a do over?"

"Well then, how about we go out for breakfast? I can pretend I never saw you in your pyjamas and we can get to know each other better. Sounds good?"

"But aren't you going to discuss stuff with Hongjoong hyung?" Jongho asked, glancing at the older boy who seemed very amused with the scene unfolding before him.

"We can always discuss it at a later time." Hongjoong said, smiling. "You boys can go on ahead and have breakfast. I'll just text you when we can talk okay, Yeosang? Thanks again for agreeing to model for me, by the way."

"Sure hyung. Go on and get dressed, Jongho. I'll just wait for you here. I'll even act surprised when you come out."

"Why did I end up with a snarky soulmate?" Jongho moaned, trudging back into his room to get ready.

True to his word, Yeosang _did_ act surprised when Jongho came out of his room, this time dressed a little more nicely than before, and Jongho is _this_ close to throwing hands.

But then Yeosang decided to hold his hand and he basically just melts after that, all dopey smiles and heart eyes as they make their way to the cafe.

A voice in Jongho's head that sounds suspiciously like Mingi calls him whipped.

He finds that he doesn't mind it at all.


End file.
